White Collar Crime

Although white collar crimes may seem fairly common today, they were not widely recognized until 1939. In that year, Edwin Sutherland identified crimes of this nature as something perpetrated by respected, high-standing professionals. This is because only high-ranking businessmen and women have access to the financial resources and personal information necessary to commit such a crime.

The reason why this type of lawlessness is defined as “white collar” is because it is typically performed by business and government professionals. This is in contrast to blue collar crime, which usually involves working-class individuals. Conversely, because white collar crime is often carried out with little to no paper trail, it can be difficult to detect.

Indeed, white collar crime rates have been rising. It is estimated that they cost the U.S. government $300 billion every year. The prevalence of these crimes may be explained in part by the rise in popularity of computer-based recordkeeping and electronic financial transactions. This also contributes to the difficulty in identifying white collar crimes.

Examples of White Collar Crime

There are a variety of types of white collar crimes, including the following:

• Insider trading
• Embezzlement
• Money laundering
• Fraud
• Identity theft
• Forgery
• Bribery

Contact Us

When a businessperson or company is accused of a white collar crime, it is a very serious accusation which demands experienced legal defense. If you or your business has been accused of white collar crime, contact the Austin business lawyers of Slater Kennon & Jameson, LLP today at 512-472-2431.